This is a complete list of Zeppelins constructed by the German Zeppelin companies from 1900 until 1938. Other types of rigid airships that are also sometimes referred to as zeppelins are not included.

The Zeppelin companies based in Friedrichshafen, Germany, numbered their aircraft LZ 1/2/ ..., with LZ standing for "Luftschiff [airship] Zeppelin". Additionally, craft used for civilian purposes were usually given a name, whereas military airships were given "tactical numbering":

The German Army called its first Zeppelins Z I/II/ ... /XI/XII. During World War I they switched to using the LZ numbers, later adding 30 to obscure the total production.

The first Zeppelin to be truly successful. Made a number of flights of significant duration before being enlarged and bought by the Deutsches Heer (German Army) in 1908. Used for training until being decommissioned in 1913.[3]

Completed a 12-hour flight on 1 July 1908; attempted 24-hour endurance flight on 4 August 1908, but landed near Echterdingen after 12 hours to repair an engine. Destroyed when strong winds broke its moorings.[2]

LZ 5

C

Z II

Experimental; military

26 May 1909

Carried away from moorings during a storm and wrecked near Weilburg on 25 March 1910.[4]

First experiments with wireless communication; first airship for DELAG (Deutsche Luftschiffahrts-Aktiengesellschaft – German airship transport company); accidentally destroyed by fire in its hangar at Oos, Baden-Baden on 14 September 1910.[5]

Carried 1,553 passengers in 218 commercial flights.[9] On 28 June 1912 the Schwaben caught fire after a strong gust tore it from its mooring near Düsseldorf, injuring some of the ground handling party.[10]

traveled 44,437 km (27,612 mi; 23,994 nmi) in 399 flights; first passenger-carrying flight outside Germany, commanded by Graf von Zeppelin visiting Denmark and Sweden on 19 September 1912;[12] taken over by the German military upon the outbreak of World War I; decommissioned in summer 1916[8]

Accidentally crossed the French border on 3 April 1913 due to a navigational error, caused by poor visibility, and landed on the cavalry parade ground at Lunéville, allowing the French to perform a detailed examination.[14][15][16] Used for reconnaissance over East Prussia in August 1914 and bombed Warsaw on 24 September 1914. Later used for training before being decommissioned in the autumn of 1916.[8]

LZ 17

H

Sachsen

Civilian; later military

3 May 1913

Transported 9,837 passengers in 419 flights, travelling 39,919 km (24,805 mi; 21,555 nmi); taken over by German military upon outbreak of World War I in 1914; this was Captain Lehmann's first command; it had bomb racks and bombardier's station fitted, together with an improved radio room, machine guns in the cars below and a gunners' nest in the tail;[17] In its first attack on Antwerp it carried 1,800 pounds (820 kg) of bombs and spent 12 hours in the air.[18] Decommissioned in autumn of 1916[8]

Used early in World War I for reconnaissance missions in Western Poland; forced landing due to damage from ground fire after an attack on Mława during the Battle of Tannenberg: crew captured.[20]

LZ 21

K

Z VI

Military

10 November 1913

Carried out the first airship bombing mission of World War 1; on 6 August 1914, bombed raid Liège, dropping artillery shells instead of bombs. The airship's inadequate lift kept it at low altitude so that bullets and shrapnel from defending fire holed the gasbags. The ship limped back to Cologne but had to be set down in a forest near Bonn, completely wrecking it.[17]

LZ 22

L

Z VII

Military

8 January 1914

Limited to a ceiling of around 1,600 m (5,200 ft), on 21 August 1914 Z VII was sent to find the retreating French Army around the Vosges mountains in Alsace, and drop bombs on the camps. After passing through clouds Z VII found itself right above the main army, whose small-arms fire penetrated many gas cells. Leaking heavily, the crew force-landed the airship near St. Quirin, Lorraine.[17]

LZ 23

L

Z VIII

Military

11 May 1914

Under the same orders as Z VII on 21 August 1914, Z VIII engaged the French army while at an altitude of a few hundred feet. According to Lehmann Z VIII received "thousands of bullets and shell splinters", forcing it to drift and make a forced landing in no man's land near Bandonvillers. The crew destroyed all documents and tried to burn the wreck but so little gas remained it would not burn: the airship crew were captured by the French Army.[citation needed]

LZ 24

M

L 3

Military

11 May 1914

After 24 reconnaissance missions over the North Sea, L 3 participated in the first raid on England on 19 January 1915. On 17 February 1915 L 3 was abandoned by its crew after a forced landing in Denmark, caused by engine failure compounded by strong headwinds and insufficient fuel. The wind was so strong it blew the airship, now unmanned but with engines still running, out to sea.[21]

LZ 25

M

Z IX

military

13 July 1914

Used for reconnaissance missions and bombing in northern France; on 25 August 1914 nine bombs dropped on Antwerp killed or wounded 26 people and damaged a royal palace. The Belgian royal family were in residence and the attack was widely condemned. Destroyed in its hangar at Düsseldorf on 8 October 1914 by bombs dropped by Flt Lt. (later Air Vice Marshal) Reginald Marix, RNAS flying a Sopwith Tabloid .[22]

Z XII made 11 attacks in Northern France and at the Eastern front, dropping a total of 20,000 kilograms (44,000 lb) of bombs; by the summer of 1915 Z 12 had dropped around 9,000 kg (20,000 lb) of bombs on the Warsaw to Petrograd trunk railway line between the stations at Malkina and Białystok. One flight carried a load of 3,000 kg (6,600 lb).[23] Decommissioned on 8 August 1917.

Flew 11 reconnaissance missions over the North Sea, participated in the first raid over England on 20 January 1915. Forced landing in Blavandshuk on 17 February 1915 during a storm; 11 of the crew were interned, with four members lost when the airship was subsequently carried out to sea.[24]

Flew 77 reconnaissance missions over the North Sea, with several unsuccessful attempts to attack English coastal towns. Brought down on 4 May 1916 by anti-aircraft fire from HMS Phaeton and HMS Galatea and its wreck was destroyed by the Royal NavysubmarineE31

Carried out the first bombing raid on London on 31 May 1915 killing 7 and injuring 35 people (with material damage assessed at £18,596), five successful raids on Ipswich, Ramsgate, Southend (twice) and London,[30] dropping a total of 8,360 kg (18,430 lb) of bombs. Destroyed by British bombing in its hangar at Evere on 7 June 1915.[31]

Three raids on the western, later two on the eastern front, dropping a total of 4,184 kg (9,224 lb) of bombs. On 17 December 1915, captained by Dr. Lempertz, LZ 39 was hit several times by shrapnel during an attack on Rovno. All rear gas cells were punctured and the front engine car was hit and later fell off. The crew abandoned the now-overstressed control cabin, dropped ballast and shifted loads to rebalance the ship and used an emergency control station in the rear to limp back to Germany. Upon forced landing the ship collapsed because material for repair and the supply of gas needed to refill the cells were not available.[32]

8 reconnaissance missions around the North Sea; 5 attacks on England dropping a total of 9,900 kg (21,800 lb) of bombs. Destroyed in a thunderstorm on 3 September 1915 near Cuxhaven killing 19 crew members.[27]

31 reconnaissance missions, notably during the Battle of Jutland; 12 raids on England dropping a total of 15,543 kg (34,266 lb) of bombs. Significant raid on Sunderland on 1 April 1916, when 22 people died. Several of the L 11 crew transferred to the ill-fated LZ 95.[33] Decommissioned in April 1917.

LZ 42

P

LZ 72

15 June 1915

Only used as a school ship, as airframe metal was of poor quality; decommissioned in February 1917.

5 reconnaissance missions; after being damaged by A.A. fire during a raid in which it bombed Dover came down in the English Channel. Towed back to Ostend on 10 August 1915 but caught fire during salvage operation.[34]

45 reconnaissance missions, including one in which it played a significant part in the action of 19 August 1916;[35] 15 attacks on England dropping 20,667 kg (45,563 lb) of bombs; decommissioned on 25 April 1917

Most successful German Navy airship; 42 reconnaissance missions; 17 attacks on Britain dropping a total of 22,045 kg (48,601 lb) of bombs; taken out of service during 1917 and 1918. Destroyed by its crew on 23 June 1919.

6 attacks on England and France dropping a total of 12,610 kg (27,800 lb) of bombs. Destroyed by enemy fire on 21 February 1916 in the Battle of Verdun, killing the crew of 15.[29] Reports at the time indicated LZ 77 had searchlights, eight machine guns, two so-called 'revolver' guns in the top lookout post, was accompanied by fixed-wing aircraft and at least one other Zeppelin and had orders to bomb the nearby railway lines.[36][37]

8 reconnaissance missions; 3 attacks on England dropping a total of 5,780 kg (12,740 lb) of bombs. Damaged by ground fire from Dartford AA battery[29] during a raid on London on 1 April 1916, it came down at Kentish Knock Deep in the Thames estuary. 1 crew member was killed, the other 17 were taken prisoner.[38]

Dropped a total of 4,440 kg (9,790 lb) of bombs in two attacks on Brest-Litovsk and Kovel and one attack on Paris on 30 January 1916; hit by French fire and damaged beyond repair in forced landing near Ath.[38]

44 reconnaissance missions; 12 attacks on England dropping a total of 18,048 kg (39,789 lb) of bombs; delivered supplies to German isles in winter 1916. Damaged beyond repair during a training mission at Nordholz Naval Airbase on 19 October 1917.[38]

Used at the South-Eastern and the Western Front; transported a diplomatic commission to Sofia on 9 November 1915;[39] one attack on Étaples (France) and two attacks on Bucharest, dropping a total of 4,513 kg (9,949 lb) of bombs; brought down by ground fire near Turnovo (Bulgaria) on 27 September 1916.[40]

Raided England on 31 January 1916, dropping a total of 1,600 kg (3,500 lb) of bombs. On 2 February 1916 after a raid on England[29] with three engines failing, it came under Dutch fire[41] and sank in the North Sea, drowning all crew members as nearby English fishing trawler "King Stephen" refused any help to them.[42] In the last hours Kapitan-Leutnant Loewe and his crew dropped into the sea their last messages, which washed up six months later in Sweden.[41] On 23 April 1916 Torpedo boat G41 attacked and sank the King Stephen, taking its crew prisoner.[41]

2 attacks on Ramsgate and Margate dropping a total 3,000 kg (6,600 lb) of bombs; in July 1916 handed to the German Navy; 16 reconnaissance missions around the Baltic Sea; later used as a school ship. Decommissioned in July 1917.[40]

14 reconnaissance missions; 3 attacks dropping a total 4,249 kg (9,367 lb) of bombs along the Western Front; in January 1917 handed to the German Navy who used it for experimental purposes. Decommissioned in September 1917.

First of the Type R "Super-Zeppelin" class, it had a volume of 55,200 m3. 10 raids on England dropping a total of 23,305 kilograms (51,379 lb) of bombs; 31 reconnaissance missions above the North and Baltic Seas and at the Eastern Front; retired on 17 November 1917 and laid up at Seerappen. In 1920 ordered to be transferred to Belgium as part of war reparations, where it was dismantled. Some components, including an engine car, are preserved at the Royal Army and Military History Museum, Brussels.

30 reconnaissance missions; 8 attacks on Britain, dropping a total of 9,215 kilograms (20,316 lb) of bombs; destroyed by RNASCurtis H12 flying boat flown by Flight Commander Robert Leckie (later Air Vice Marshal) near Terschelling on 14 May 1917 during a reconnaissance mission.[46] (Leckie was also credited in the downing of LZ 112)

4 attacks on London (twice), Boulogne and, later, Bucharest, dropping a total of 5,760 kilograms (12,700 lb) of bombs, plus several unsuccessful flights due to bad weather. Decommissioned on 5 July 1917.

One attack on London dropping 1,513 kilograms (3,336 lb) bombs, plus several flights aborted due to bad weather; handed to the German Navy in November 1916; 15 reconnaissance missions around the Baltic Sea. Decommissioned in August 1917.

19 reconnaissance missions around the North Sea; 4 raids on England dropping a total of 8,510 kilograms (18,760 lb) f bombs; crashed into a wall while being taken into its hangar on 28 December 1916[48] and burned out together with LZ 53.

One important reconnaissance mission in fleet operation against Sunderland; 6 attacks on England dropping a total of 19,411 kilograms (42,794 lb) of bombs; with LZ 74, LZ 76 and LZ 78 part of Zeppelin raid on night of 23 September 1916;[49] intercepted and destroyed by British fighter pilot Lt. W. Tempest on 2 October 1916 near Potters Bar, north of London, while commanded by the leading airship commander of the time, Kapitän Leutnant Heinrich Mathy, who died with his entire crew after jumping from the flaming Zeppelin. The crew were originally buried at Potters Bar but were later exhumed and reburied at Cannock Chase.

17 reconnaissance missions around the North and Baltic Sea and England; 4 raids dropping a total of 6,450 kilograms (14,220 lb) of bombs; retired on 24 December 1917; transferred to Japan in 1920 (disassembled)

Part of the Zeppelin group that bombed London and surrounding counties (L 31, L 32, L 33 and L 34) on the night of 23 September 1916; during its first mission, in which 3200 kg bombs had been dropped,[citation needed] after an anti-aircraft shell seriously damaged it, commander Kapitan-Leutnant Alois Bocker turned over Essex and was attacked by 39 Home Defence Squadron night fighters from Hainault Farm and hit several times (credit for disabling given to B.E.2c No. 4544 piloted by Alfred de Bathe Brandon), but even after dropping guns and equipment Bocker decided it would not make it back across the North Sea, forced landing in Little Wigborough, Essex 24 September 1916 with no fatalities,[49] the crew were only partly successful in burning the hull, and British engineers examined the skeleton and later used the plans as a basis for the construction of airships R33 and R34.

Three reconnaissance missions; two attacks on England dropping a total of 3,890 kg (8,580 lb) of bombs; took part in the Zeppelin raid which also involved the L 31, L 32 and L 33 on the night of 23 September 1916, and was the only Zeppelin that survived the raid; intercepted and destroyed by British fighter pilot 2nd Lt Ian Pyott in BE2c no. 2738 off Hartlepool on 27 November 1916.

15 reconnaissance missions around the North Sea; four attacks on England dropping a totalof 6,567 kilograms (14,478 lb)of bombs; used as a school ship from 11 December 1917. Destroyed by its crew on 23 June 1919.

15 reconnaissance missions around the Eastern Front and the Baltic Sea; three attacks dropping a total of 6,000 kilograms (13,000 lb) of bombs. In 1920 ordered to be transferred to France as part of war reparations.

12 reconnaissance missions around the North Sea; 3 attacks on England dropping a total of 4,700 kilograms (10,400 lb) of bombs. Ran out of fuel on 20 October 1917 and destroyed in forced landing near Sisteron, France, the crew being taken captive.[51]

18 reconnaissance missions and three attacks dropping a total of 3,240 kilograms (7,140 lb) of bombs around the North Sea and England. On 5 January 1918, a giant explosion in the air base in Ahlhorn destroyed four Zeppelins (including L 47) and one non-Zeppelin built airship, housed in one adjacent hangar and two 0.5 mi (0.80 km) away.[53]

5 reconnaissance missions around the North Sea; two attacks on England dropping a total of 4,135 kilograms (9,116 lb) of bombs. Ran out of fuel on 20 October 1917 and, after the control car had been torn off as a result of an attempt to crash the airship to prevent it falling into enemy hands near Danmartin, it was blown over the Mediterranean with five crew members still on board.[54]

17 reconnaissance missions and 3 attacks dropping 11,250 kilograms (24,800 lb) of bombs around the Eastern Front and the Baltic Sea. Retired on 8 October 1917; in 1920 ordered to be transferred to Italy as war reparations, where it broke apart one year later while gas was removed.

First of the Height-Climber S class, which had a lightened structure to improve maximum altitude. . 20 reconnaissance missions; 4 attacks on England dropping a total of 6,030 kilograms (13,290 lb) of bombs; used as a school ship from 6 June 1918. Destroyed by its crew on 23 June 1919.

Several of the LZ 41 crew transferred to the L 48;[33] one reconnaissance mission successful. As part of an attempted attack on London with 3 others became lost and was then intercepted and destroyed by British fighters over sea near Great Yarmouth on 17 June 1917 crashing near Leiston. Three survivors; crew buried at Theberton, Suffolk,[55][56] later to be exhumed and reburied at Cannock Chase.

Two reconnaissance missions around the North Sea; one raid on England dropping 2,100 kilograms (4,600 lb) of bombs; while returning, forced to land near Bourbonne-les-Bains on 20 October 1917 and captured almost undamaged by French forces. The design of LZ 96 influenced the design of the first American rigid airship, the USS Shenandoah (ZR-1)[57] and the British R38.

14 reconnaissance missions; two attacks on England dropping a total of 5,840 kilograms (12,870 lb) of bombs; destroyed together with LZ 108 when seven RNASSopwith Camel fighters, launched from the aircraft carrier HMS Furious, bombed the Toska hangar at Tønder, Denmark. (Only two fighters returned to the Furious, though three of the others landed in Denmark after running low on fuel.)

19 reconnaissance missions; 4 attacks on England, dropping a total of 11,930 kilograms (26,300 lb) of bombs. Intercepted and destroyed by a Sopwith Camel flown by Lt Culley RAF, who took off from a lighter towed by the destroyer HMS Redoubt, on 11 August 1918. LZ 100 was the last zeppelin destroyed in the war.

Two attacks dropping a total of 5,450 kilograms (12,020 lb) of bombs. Heavily damaged in the second one on 19 October 1917, it drifted behind western front and rose to a Zeppelin all-time record altitude of 7,600 metres (24,900 ft) to escape; then dismantled upon forced landing.

Known as the Afrika-Schiff, stationed in Yambol (Bulgaria); LZ 104 started out on a resupply mission to German East Africa. However, British forces had advanced to the designated landing zone, forcing the German admiralty to abort the mission and recall the ship while west of Khartoum. Nevertheless, LZ 104 set a long-distance flight record of (6,757 kilometres (4,199 mi) in 95 hours and 5 minutes) or nearly 4 days in the air. The ship met its end on 7 April 1918 when it crashed into the waters of the Strait of Otranto with the loss of all 21 crew.

Two reconnaissance missions; two attacks on England dropping a total of 5,923 kilograms (13,058 lb) of bombs; on the raid on 12/13 April 1918 her gunners managed to damage and drive away an attacking airplane, the only known instance of this happening. Crashed north of Helgoland on 10 May 1918: shot down by Felixstowe F2A flying-boat N4291, flown by Capt T.C. Pattinson and Capt T.H. Munday.[58]

13 reconnaissance missions over the North Sea; with LZ 108, LZ 106, LZ 107, and LZ 110 raided north of England dropping 2800 kg in bombs. In 1920 transferred to Britain as war reparations. Scrapped at short notice when hangar required for the damaged R36.[59]

Directed last raid on England on 6 August 1918, with KKPeter Strasser, Commander of the Navy Airship Department on board; intercepted and destroyed over North Sea by British de Havilland DH-4 flown by Major Egbert Cadbury with Captain Robert Leckie (later Air Vice-Marshal) as gunner.[60] Both these men shot down two Zeppelins: prior to L 70, Cadbury had downed L 21 and Leckie, L 22.[45]

Not delivered because war ended; in 1920 ordered to be transferred to France in the context of war reparations and handed over on 9 July 1920 and renamed Dixmude.[61] Made then world record duration flight of 118 hours.[18] Exploded off the coast of Sicily during a thunderstorm in December 1923, killing all aboard.[61]

Included a first-class passenger section; used by DELAG until 1921, then ordered to be transferred renamed as Esperia (lower image) to Italy as part of the war reparations. Arrived in Rome from Staaken on 25 December 1921.

Ordered by the United States; transferred from Friedrichshafen to Lakehurst in 81 hours and 2 minutes, arriving on 15 October 1924, 9:52. Most successful US rigid airship, with just under 4,400 hours of successful flight in US Navy service. Dismantled in August 1940.

Intended for filling with helium gas instead of flammable hydrogen, which was, however, refused to be provided to Germany mainly by the US. Regular voyages to North and South America. Destroyed in Hindenburg disaster on 6 May 1937.

Total 30 flights (36,550 km, 409 hrs), mainly flight testing but also electronic warfare and radio interception over English coast and Polish/German border. Modified for helium, but none provided by US. Last flight 20 August 1939. Dismantled in 1940 upon order of Hermann Göring.

^ abRimmel. 1916 L 11 crew photo – first photo shows Viktor Schütze was Korvettenkäpitan; of the L 48 crew only Otto Meith (died 30 April 1956) and Heinrich Ellerkamm (died 4 August 1963) eventually survived; Wilhelm Uecker died later from complications and influenza on 11 November 1918. Second photo shows British military salvage team posing in front of the wrecked L 48, note erroneous writing.

^"1916 – 0186"(PDF). Flight Magazine: 186. 2 March 1916. Retrieved 25 September 2009. 8.30 p.m. that the airship was reported ... 6,000 ft. ... over Sommeille, using its searchlights for a brief moment. ... flew over Révigny ... The third shell, an incendiary one, found the target. ... came to earth slowly ... no explosion until the Zeppelin touched the ground ... seen by many ... from ... Révigny, ... village of Brabant-le-Roi ... Ten miles away, another Zeppelin, ... watched the fate of its companion and then turned and disappeared. At the same time a third Zeppelin flew over Lunéville and dropped bombs ... German source gives the following details ... carried over twenty of a crew, eight machine guns, and on the overhead platform two 'revolver' guns. Her orders were to bomb the railway junctions behind the front, especially, perhaps for its importance to Verdun (which is only some thirty miles away). ... three aeroplanes accompanied the Zeppelin.